


◦•● ᴋɪꜱᴇᴋɪ: (ᴡʜᴏ) ᴡᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ●•◦

by Arthuria_PenDragon



Series: ⧼•𝕮𝖗𝖆𝖈𝕶𝖊𝖉, 𝕹𝖔𝖙 𝕭𝖗𝖔𝕶𝖊𝖓•⧽ [3]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Aftermath, Aftermath of Torture, Aftermath of Violence, Akashi Masaomi's A+ Parenting, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Dark, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bad Teaching, Codependency, Companion Piece, Dark Past, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Everyone Has Issues, Families of Choice, Flashbacks, Foul Language, Found Family, Friendship, Gen, GoM Have Issues, GoM as a Family, Headcanon, Human Experimentation, Kise Ryouta Has ADHD, Mental Health Issues, Non-Linear Narrative, Not Canon Compliant, Oaths & Vows, Overprotective Generation of Miracles, POV Alternating, POV Third Person Limited, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Platonic Male/Male Relationships, Platonic Relationships, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Winter Cup, Read『ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ #7: ᴋɪꜱᴇᴋɪ』first, Sequel, Team as Family, Teikou messed up their students a Lot, Teikou's A+ Coaching, Teikou's A+ Teaching, The GoM have Issues, Timeline What Timeline, What Canon?, blood oath, friendship/family, past trauma, the team that survives Teikou together stays together
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:54:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28674801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arthuria_PenDragon/pseuds/Arthuria_PenDragon
Summary: They are finally free, Teikō shall never touch them again. But the cracks and the trauma still linger...(Only time will heal —dull—the pain and the wounds and it takes long. But they have support all trough it, so they try). Monsters or humans, it doesn’t matter anymore.“It’s who we are.”✄━.━.━.━Sequel to『ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ #7: ᴋɪꜱᴇᴋɪ』
Relationships: Akashi Seijuurou & Kiseki no Sedai | Generation of Miracles, Aomine Daiki & Kiseki no Sedai | Generation of Miracles, Aomine Daiki & Kuroko Tetsuya & Momoi Satsuki, Generation of Miracles & Generation of Miracles, Kise Ryouta & Kiseki no Sedai | Generation of Miracles, Kiseki no Sedai | Generation of Miracles & Kuroko Tetsuya, Kiseki no Sedai | Generation of Miracles & Midorima Shintarou, Kiseki no Sedai | Generation of Miracles & Murasakibara Atsushi
Series: ⧼•𝕮𝖗𝖆𝖈𝕶𝖊𝖉, 𝕹𝖔𝖙 𝕭𝖗𝖔𝕶𝖊𝖓•⧽ [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2096268
Comments: 30
Kudos: 72





	1. “ᴡᴇ ᴀʀᴇ“

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the sequel of "Project 7: Kiseki"! Hope you will enjoy this as well!  
> NOTE, since we don´t really know the names of the GoMs families (save for Akashi´s father), I will give them names myself. Like, we know about them... but they don´t appear or get talked about much, so everything about them is kind of my imagination?  
> Also, there will be talk/mention of dark topics, like violence and human experimentation, so read cautiously, altough this one will be less dark... and I´ll attempt more love/fluffiness...? Kinda.
> 
> Anyway, please enjoy! :3

**_We are, we are  
We are made from broken parts  
We are, we are  
We are broken from the start  
And our hearts, our hearts  
They were beating in the dark  
’Cause we are, we are  
We are built from broken parts_ **

— We Are BY Hollywood Undead


	2. ᴛʜᴇ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀᴍᴀᴛʜ ɪ — ᴍɪᴅᴏʀɪᴍᴀ

_**15th July, Sunday** _

It was over.

It was truly over, for good. They were _free._ (Oh and how exhilarating that knowledge was!)

His siblings were free too. His baby sister and mother were safe from that madman too. Poor Sayuri–chan will not understand... not everything, but Midorima was fine with that. She was young, his little sister. He would do his best to shield her, she would not need to know everything, that was going on. Knowing that she and his mother were safe, was enough.

“Shintarō!“ the gasp of his name brought him from his thoughts and he found his mother hurrying towards him, her green eyes filled with relief. His sister was beside her and her eyes lit up too when he looked at her.

“Nī-chan!” she cried and Midorima’s breath hitched. She was safe. She ran to him, tackling him in a hug and he laughed a little, holding her close.

“Hello, Imōto.“ he greeted quietly, ruffling her hair. She snuggled closer and he didn’t mind one bit. Holding her was the reassurance his mind needed, that she was _safe_. For her, he endured all, that Teikō had done.

“Son.“

Midorima looked up to be met with his mother’s relived, green eyes, so much like his own. “Okā-san.“ he greeted, as she brought him into a bone-crushing hug.

“Thank the kami.“ she breathed, relief and pain in her words, “I... I... was so, so worried. You...“

“I’m fin— _auch!_ ” as his mother’s hand moved, her grip getting tighter, the pain jolted through his elbow and his arm. She drew back as if burned, green eyes widening. He shook his head at the silent question. “Just my elbow. Rouh training. Nothing serious.”

A lie. Well, a half-lie. His elbow wasn’t so serious, but the side effect of the drugs they’d been given over the week... that’ll be a pain in the ass to deal with. She drew away, searching his face and her eyes glinted with sadness. “I see. Can we go?“

Midorima sighed tiredly and nodded, picking up his bag with his uninjured hand. “Yes, we can go.“

“Shintarō!”

His family looked at him, as he stopped, knowing the voice well. His brother approached, silent and unnoticed as always and his family had a nasty surprise. Tetsu’s blue eyes found his mother and he dipped his head in greeting, probably quickly taking note of the physical similarities between them. Midorima sighed. “Tetsu.“ he greeted, turning to his mother, “Mother, this is Kuroko Tetsuya. My teammate from Teikō. Tetsu, this is my mother, Yūka and my sister, Sayuri.”

His mother smiled, understanding flashing through her eyes. “A pleasure to meet, Kuroko-kun.“

Tetsu dipped his head, ever-polite. “Likewise, Midorima-san.“ he smiled down at Sayuri and gave a small wave. “Hello, Sayuri-chan.“

“Ah, hello.“ she greeted back shyly and Midorima found himself chuckling as he turned to the teal.

“Something’s the matter, Tetsu?“

The Phantom shook his head and gave him a few papers. “Not really. I just went through the papers with Seijūrō. These are yours. All filled out and signed. Nothing for you to worry about. Nijimura-sempai just contacted, that there might be a call or a report or something, that we will have to deal with. Testimonies and the usual. But there’s seven of us, plus the police are still looking for Haizaki, so maybe eight. I... or Seijūrō, whoever gets notified first —well, we’ll contact, alright? Give a warning when they might come around to ask about this.“

Midorima sighed. “Hai, hai. Thank you.“ he smiled a little, “You... should be resting, you know?“

Tetsu snorted a little. “Too much paperwork and legal mess to worry about, for resting. We can’t expect Sei and Tsuki to do it all for us. They’ll end up drowning themselves in it or getting a mental breakdown.“

Midorima sighed again at hearing that. “I thought the coaches offered some help?“

Tetsu hummed. “Oh, they did... but you know? _Adults._ Besides, how long have we been dealing with our legal things? It’s a mess and takes up time even with the strings Sei can pull, but... we’ll handle it. We always did.”

Midorima’s throat constricted at those words and his mother sobbed loudly behind him, probably understanding what Tetsu meant by that. He swallowed his tears and hugged the Phantom instead. Firmly, yet gently at the same time. “Thank you, _brother_. Do take care of yourselves. It would be troublesome to wake up to the chat tonight, nanodayo.”

Tetsu pulled away and nodded. “We’ll try. Text later?“

“When I’m home.“ he promised. He nodded to the teal one last time and grabbed his sister by the hand, smiling at his mother, trough his worries. It was painful to leave them now... when they’d just barely met. “Let’s go, Okā-san.”

She gave one last sad, but thoughtful look to Tetsu and then they walked off. Midorima caught Takao’s eye from the distance. His friend gave him a worrying, but _I-am-here-if-you-need-to-talk-to-someone_ looks from the distance. Midorima nodded gratefully and hurried to the car.

He remembered the talk he had with his team last night and it brought a tiny smile to his lips. He knew he could count on his coach and team, the way he could count on his siblings.

_Shūtoku were gathered in the backyard of the hotel, all of their eyes serious and searching and Midorima wondered, **why** they were here, as he clutched his lucky item close. His team’s eyes were sad and guilty. _

_“We owe you an apology, Midorima.“ Ōtsubo said as he stopped a few feet from them. They were all seated at the edge of the lawn, but Midorima was too restless to sit, so he remained upright instead._

_“Yeah.“ Kimura muttered, “You and... the other Miracles saved us and... we said...“ he trailed off, looking away._

_“We said things we shouldn’t have. Like... you know, calling you monsters.” Yūja said with a frown._

_Midorima closed his eyes a little. “You were not far from the truth, though. We... you know, the more you hear it, the easier it is to believe. And... that was all we’ve heard. Only the media ever called us **Kiseki no Sedai**. The teams we faced, reacted differently. Fear and loathing in their eyes even before our matches started and even more of said emotions once we won with scores over _ _a hundred._ _Sometimes even two hundred — but... ah, that first two hundred — a match Dai, I mean Aomine secured for us, with a 203-31 for final score— has a story of its own, I suppose, so it doesn’t matter.”_

_Takao sighed. “I admit... when my team faced you...“_

_Midorima stiffened at that, green eyes going wide. “W-what? You... **you** played against us?“ he whispered, dread and self-loathing coiling in his gut. Takao. **Takao** of all people... _

_Takao nodded, his eyes seeming distant. “When I gazed across the court... I didn’t see people. I... I couldn’t look at any of you, as students the same age as me. It just... didn’t work. You all, you were all so **overwhelming**. Even then, careless and flippant before it started... it was like looking at creatures not meant to dwell on Earth. Ones capable of killing, walking over others without remorse. Even Kuroko, who had such low presence. Even he had something... **cold** about him. But... I think, Aomine. Aomine had scared me the most and as the match progressed... the way he and Kuroko moved as one, was frightening. The worst thing to watch. Such sync should not be humanly possible. At the time, my Hawk-Eye wasn’t active yet, so I couldn’t follow him, the way I can now, but I did have an easier time noticing him, than the others. Still, his tricks worked and Aomine’s sheer speed...“ he shuddered, “I... I don’t think Kuroko remembers... but we had a little stare down when he stole the ball from me. I don’t know, who he passed to — perhaps Aomine. Or Akashi? I can’t remember. But when we locked eyes, before he disappeared...“ Takao shuddered again, “Like looking the Shinigami in the eyes. Or Akashi. I swear Kuroko had that same icy, smouldering look that Akashi had a few days ago when he floored Fukui.” _

_Midorima groaned and rubbed his face. A moment later he flopped unto the ground carelessly. “I’m sorry, Takao.“ he sighed, “The thing is... that I don’t remember all our matches. All of them are relatively the same. Win, win and win to survive. But... I can believe what you are saying.“ he sighed, “Do you remember which year?“_

_Takao bit his lip before nodding. “Sometime in Second, I think.“_

_“Sei— Akashi. His eyes... were they red or already heterochromatic?“_

_The team gave him an odd look. “What do you... what’s with that question, Shin-chan?“_

_“Just answer please!” he growled back._

_Takao pressed his lips together. “Cheterochromic. Why?”_

_Midorima groaned. “So it was... Akashi... all the prodding changed him. Oh, he’s still himself, well at least, with us. But... there were times, that you just... didn’t say **no** to him because it was safer. Before that change, he had been considerate towards the other teams and a total mother hen to us. He still came up with winning strategies and led us wonderfully. After the change... he stopped caring for others. He became easier to anger and he didn’t care for how we achieved victory. But... I can’t complain. I gave him and Tetsu ideas. We did the planning. The strategy of that sort is just beyond Atsu, Dai and Ryō. And if not us, then Satsuki. She gathered all the data on our opponents and came up with different scenarios and possibilities. The three of us worked with what she gave us and Akashi didn’t even leave a chance for failure.“ _

_He looked down._

_“I... I’m sorry, Takao.“_

_His friend shook his head. “It was the Prelims. I know you won... It hurt, but now, looking back, I’d rather not know, what you’d have gotten if you lost.“_

_Midorima smiled thinly. “We never lost, Takao. Never. Akashi ensured the superiority of the First String. And Tetsu did the same to the lower String team, if— when they played.”_

_His coach looked at him. “We’re **not** Teikō, Midorima. That’s in the past now. You’re safe here and the worst you’ll have to deal with if we lose a championship, is the knowledge, that you’d just played two or three of your ex-teammates instead of all five.” _

_Somehow, that sentence eased his mind and he nodded to the man. “And...“ his Captain called, “You know, we’re **not** blind. You weren’t exactly okay those few days before we came here. If you’re sick or something, just tell us and the worst thing we do is sending Kazunari with you, to make sure you find your way back to the dorm.” _

_“And I’ve also noticed how you acted when you were ten minutes late from practice.“ the coach said looking at him, “Being late is not the end of the world, as long as you have a valid reason. Even if you skip one... I don’t encourage it, but...”_

_Midorima shook his head with a small snort. “Skipping practice and school is Aomine’s unhealthy way of coping, not mine.“ he murmured, half-serious, half-joking. “You don’t have to worry about me skipping. If I **do** skip for some reason, that will be something important.” _

_“Unhealthy coping, huh?“ his coach asked, studying him, “So you know...”_

_“Know that I’m physically and mentally fucked up? That we **all** are? Yes, we have enough self-awareness, to notice, kantoku. But, that doesn’t make things any easier. Only because you know the problem and its cause, does not mean you can get rid of it, the way you bat away a fly.“ he readjusted his glasses. _

_Nakatani-kantoku sighed, rubbing his face. “The gods know you don’t sound like a sixteen-year-old.”_

_Midorima frowned. “Teikō taught us to grow up fast if we wanted to survive. Taught us to salt the ground we walked, not to leave weakness behind. I don’t care about victory... I care about the safety and survival of those, who are important.”_

_He closed his eyes, but even like that, he could tell, that his teammates were sharing looks, communicating with each other without words. “S-shin-chan? Will you... be okay?“_

_Midorima snorted. “No, Takao. I doubt I — or any of my siblings, will ever be okay. But... I’ll certainly try being normal, even if it’s goddamn hard sometimes.”_

_“Uh... maybe that’s a personal thing to ask or something...“ his Captain started, faltering a little. Midorima opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow silently prompting him to continue. “I heard, that Akashi left his contact with a few Yōsen members, in case Murasakibara needed someone...“ he trailed off awkwardly again, “Should we get someone for an emergency contact? For kantoku only...“ he flailed, “... we’re not going to use the numbers or anything, but I’d presume your phone is locked and we wouldn’t pry anyway. But if you need someone...”_

_Midorima almost chuckled at the hilarity of the Captain’s awkwardness. He nodded. “I’ll speak to them and if they agree, I’ll leave some contacts. If... if it happens, call them and they’ll help. Even if they can’t make it over to the school, they’ll be able to direct you if...“ he swallowed hard, “it’s a crisis.”_

_For a moment, there was silence between them all and then he looked up, studying them all. “Arigato.”_

_They shared looks and then Takao smiled. “We’re a team now, Shin-chan. And a team sticks together. The Kiseki may be your family... but we’re here to help, too.”_

_“And you shouldn’t hesitate to ask us if you need help or just someone to speak to.“ his coach added, tone serious._

_Despite the words —despite the underlying heavy message,— he smiled, relief sparking in his heart, as he looked down. “Thanks. Thanks... for not... judging... hating...“ he trailed off._

_“You’re one of us now.“ Ōtsubo said seriously, “Midorima Shintarō of Shūtoku. Teikō is behind you — it can’t be changed, but we’re not going to judge you for it. You’re one of us and what matters, is how you play now. With us.”_

_“Yep. We’re here now, Shin-chan and you’re not getting rid of us so easily!“ Takao grinned and even before Midorima had the chance to protest, his friend bound over to him and dragged him closer to the others._

_“T-Takao wha—?” he flailed, trying to get away, but the Power Guard was swift on his feet._

_“TEAM HUG TIME!”_

_Midorima tried to resist for a little and some others tried doing the same, but at the same time, it was nice to know, that he could count on Shūtoku too, if he ever needed help. The Kiseki were his siblings — Shūtoku were his team, his... friends._

* * *

Midorima sighed in relief, when he closed the door to his baby sister’s room, knowing she was well and safe and most importantly, already asleep. But then again, it was already quarter an hour past her bedtime anyway...

He shook his head and walked back to the kitchen, intent on getting himself a cup of tea.

“Shintarō?“ Midorima perked up, studying his mother. She was clutching a teacup herself, steam rising from it, her green eyes filled with worry. “Let’s... sit down, please.”

“I’ll get tea and go.“ he said, opening the cupboard. He took out a cup and poured himself some tea.

When he was done, he walked over to his mother and sat opposite her, placing his cup on the glass table. For a very, very long moment, silence hung between them, but in the end, his mother could not take the pressure any more. “Why didn’t you tell me? You could have told me, that Teikō was being abusive...”

“Fat— _he_ found me snooping in the study, among his papers.“ he cut her off, tone low and dead. He couldn’t even call that man his father anymore. That man had ceased being his father a while ago. “He called you a blind idiot for not noticing and then threatened you. He said, if I dared to even imply, what Teikō had done to us or that he, they financed it... he would kill you. I couldn’t have that.”

She gasped, eyes going wide with shock and terror. “W-who... are... _they_?”

“He was only one of the investors, from what he said, but there may have been others. But the two names he had mentioned, carry a lot of weight.“ he said slowly. She raised an eyebrow, prompting him to continue, “Akashi Masaomi and the Kuroko couple, before their death.”

Her eyes went even wider, if possible. “The boy, who—”

Midorima nodded. “Kuroko Tetsuya, yes. And of course, you know Sei... I mean Seijūrō.”

She took a deep breath and swallowed hard. “You seemed close to Kuroko-kun.“ she remarked softly, “Who’s he for the team?“

“Seijūrō was our Captain, as you know and for the First String, I was the Vice-cap.“ she nodded, “Tetsuya led the Lower Strings, as Captain. Seijūrō taught him to play and eventually, they became our leaders. When... when the pressure started to turn too much... Seijūrō... he defended us. Always. But he could also lose his head... Tetsuya was — still is, the only one, who can handle him, even at his worst. So it became something unspoken between us. I was the Vice-Cap on paper, but they led us. If you had some problems, you turned to Sei... if he wasn’t nearby, then Tetsu. If not for the two of them, we wouldn’t have survived.”

She rubbed her face. “Gods be good. How much abuse...?“

He raised an eyebrow and something heavy settled in his stomach. “Abuse?“

She perked up, nodding. “I... the police told me. Abused students, physically and mentally. Winners mentality ingrained into all of you and beaten if failed...”

Midorima snorted. “You got the light version, then.“ he whispered hauntedly.

“Light... version?“ she asked, dread settling on her features and Midorima hated himself for saying the next words. But she was his mother, the only person he could count on, other than the Miracles. She deserved the truth from him, not from someone else.

“Teikō was a laboratory, Okā-san. Human experimentation was their field and all the Basketball Club... we were the rats they watched and poked. Drugs, killer exercises, physical harm, if we failed, those, who could not keep up never came back...“ he trailed off, as he noticed more and more terror settle on her face.

Huge tears slipped down her deathly pale face and her body shook with the force of her sobs. Midorima sighed, closing his eyes. So she hadn’t known — his father had spoken the truth then, about keeping her oblivious to it all.

The next moment, arms wrapped around him without warning and his instincts went wild. _Self-defence._

He jerked back, grabbing the hand that was near his neck— there was a faint gasp of pain— and stood up... and then _stopped_ , realising, who it was, _who_ was touching him. His mother’s eyes were wide with shock and Midorima twitched, staggering away and falling back onto the couch.

“G-gomen, Okā-san. I-instinct.“ he murmured, looking away — looking _anywhere_ , but at his mother, “I- I didn’t want to cause you pain.”

His mother cried even harder then, burying her face in her hands. “Merciful kami...“ she hiccupped, “W-what had you gone trough there, for _this_ to be instinct? I- I’m not that good at these things, but I recognise self-defence when I see it...”

Midorima rubbed his face and glanced back at her. “I... you... you’re better off not knowing.“ he whispered, “I... I don’t think I could survive you thining of me, as a monster. I know I’m one... I am what they made me... but even if _you_ would think that...”

“I could _never_ think of you as such!“she said, looking at him, her green eyes fierce behind her tears, “You’re _my son_.”

Midorima smiled bitterly. “Am I? I don’t know anymore, who or what I am...”

Her breath shuddered. “You’re Midorima Shintarō. A wonderful son and brother. A good student and an accomplished athlete. _You’re my son._ “ she inched closer, but then stopped, wariness in her eyes.

The look chilled Midorima to the bone. It was as if someone had grabbed his heart and squeezed it so hard, that he couldn’t register anything, but the excruciating pain. Her green gaze searched his, sad and wary but still full of love. “May... may I hug you?“

That was the last straw. He broke. (Damn his defensive instincts. _When had everything turned into such a mess, that his mother had to ask for permission to hug him?_ ) Tears rolled down his face and sobs racked his body, depriving him of the ability to speak. Even his vision was getting blurrier by the moment.

He nodded mutely and reached towards her. She approached slowly, their eyes never leaving one another and a moment later she was hugging him like before, but in a gentler way and to his relief, her hands were not so close to his neck. He leaned into her and wailed softly, mindful of his little sister sleeping in her room. She just stood there hugging him, comforting him the best she could amidst her tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **SAYURI** (小百合) is a female name and it means “small lily“  
>  **YŪKA** (優花) is a female name, the Kanji for YŪ meaning “excellence, superiority, gentleness“, while KA means “flower, bloosom“.
> 
> As always, please leave comments and tell me what you think :3


	3. ᴍᴏʀᴀʟɪᴛʏ ᴏꜰ ᴍᴏɴꜱᴛᴇʀꜱ — ᴀᴏᴍɪɴᴇ 『ꜰʟᴀꜱʜʙᴀᴄᴋ』

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, strictly speaking... this chapter could have gone to the previous story, namely right before the Kise chapter/"epilouge". But... I just could not figure out the whole thing, so I had not added it, plus, the first part is longer, than I have planned it anyway.  
> Not to mention, that having flashback(s) as chapter(s) in this story too, seemed kind of fitting, since there had been full chapter flashbacks in the previous one as well.  
> Enjoy!

**_20xx/07/14, Saturday,_ Shiki Hotel, Tokyo**

_Their secrets were out. Teikō’s underhanded dealings were known — well, at least, known to their teams. For the time being. A few days and the entire Japanese (possibly world) media will be loud with the news about the true nature of Teikō Chūgakkō. Aomine would rather not think of the headlines flying around about it._

_“Dai?“_

_The Power Forward perked up at the soft call of his sister. “Tsuki?“ he returned, shifting slighty on the freshly made bed._

_He’d gathered his belongings and was now relaxing a bit, as it was Sei’s turn to watch over Tetsu and he did so, even getting Mibuchi to carry their Phantom bother over to their room, as gently as the Shooting Guard could. (Rakuzan’s Shooting Guard was a bit creepy and perhaps a bit loose in the head too — but he wasn’t judging much, he and his siblings weren’t okay either and he knew it,— but at least he had been considerate and gentle, when he took Tetsu.) Altough, Aomine **may or may not have** dropped a few death treaths, which involved several broken bones and basketballs on the guy’s head, if only a hair on Tetsu’s head was out of place, no matter how short the walk from one room to another was._

_In his defence, Tetsu was his first brother, **His Shadow** and he would not let him get any more hurt. Tetsu would not get any more hurt — **not on his watch.**_

_“Imayoshi-sempai asked for us. I think they want to speak with us. Remember? Ryō and Shin had both mentioned speaking with their teams. And Sei is probably having said conversation with Rakuzan already. I don’t know about Atsu... but Tōō’s certainly gathering up...” she trailed off, looking worried._

_Aomine sighed and stood up. He walked over to her, swift and soundless despite the pain he was still feeling. His back was healing, yes... but it was still painful and the drugs were making his body ache too. Add his current sleep-deprived state and the stress factor of the reveal, as well as his Shadow’s condition... and well, he was a ticking bomb. Really._

_He took a deep breath, trying his best to control his emotions (that had never worked well, the emotion-related evaluations were always failed, he knew it, even if they’d never seen their personal files,) and hugged her. “It’ll be alright, Imōto.”_

_They stayed like that for a minute, before walking out of the room to find their team._

_Tōō were gathered by the tables right in front of the hotel’s entrance — they took up the few wooden benches, which were available and others were sitting on the tables or on the ground. When they arrived, several of them stood up to give space for Satsuki, but she declined. Aomine huffed and settled on the grass, facing the team. Satsuki bit her lip and settled next to him, practically glueing herself to his side and looking anywhere, but at their team._

_Aomine’s eyes lingered on them for a moment and then, he looked at Imayoshi. “I... don’t say these sort of things often, but you’re a **good** Captain. Even if you have a nasty personality and you’re a jerk sometimes, you’re good at what you’re doing. Reminds me of how Tetsu used to handle the Second and Third String. But... don’t expect me to apologise. I’m not going to apologise for what we’ve done to you and Rakuzan. Because... that, crushing you the way we did, letting Sei do what he did to you, was the only way to keep Teikō away from you. There was **nothing** **good** in that game... our games had long lost the “fun“ part. We played for survival and this match had been no different. We played for your survival, so curse me and my attitude all you want, Imayoshi, but I’m not going to apologise. Nor will I apologise for saying, that I would crush anyone here, without hesitation, if that meant Teikō will not reach you.“ he swallowed hard, “It was bad enough to watch my siblings suffer. I don’t care what they’ve done to **me** , but watching what they did to **them**...“ he trailed off and took a deep breath. _

_“And I don’t expect any sort of apology, Aomine.“ Imayoshi said, readjusting his glasses. “I understand this situation better than you think. I’m not **blind** — you really see them as your siblings. I have a sister too and I know I’d do a lot of things, to make sure she’s safe and happy. That’s what... older siblings do. And as odd as that sounds... you’re the older sibling here — among the Kiseki.” _

_“In fact...“ Wakamatsu murmured, “I think we owe you an apology — or at least... **I** do owe you one. I honestly thought you looked down on us all this time, even before this training camp. But.. but if Teikō’s training was as you said, I can kind of understand, why you loath training time, even if you love the sport.” _

_Aomine frowned. “The gym brings back unwanted memories yes... but I’ve learned to ignore them.”_

_“That’s not exactly... healthy.“ Susa chimed in, “Ignoring these sort of things.“_

_Aomine snorted derisively. “Healthy? I don’t know what that word means in **your** vocab, Susa... but for **us** , it was the physical capability to get through our matches. That was all, which healthy meant. And no, we’re not fools. We know we’re not okay — mentally and emotionally. But that’s what we are. What Teikō made us be.” _

_“And we learned to hide it.“ Satsuki said quietly, “Because that was the only way. ‘Monsters‘... that’s what people called the boys, the more their skills grew, the more the... treatments took effect. Several have asked why I’ve stayed around the likes of them. Maybe... because I’m like them. And only a monster can love another monster — and if they are, so I am, because they’re my brothers.“ she took a breath, “We’ve too many sleepless nights and fear and... everything. We’re messed up and cracked, but not broken. We swore never to let Teikō win and we didn’t. We won’t.”_

_“And not letting them win... not showing weakness meant crushing you on the court, so we did it.“ he looked at Imayoshi, Wakamatsu and then their coach, “Whine as much as you want about me skipping practice... but that won’t change much. The only ones, who can keep up with me are my siblings and that’s been proven several times. I love basketball, but I hate training. I hate it because I have to restrain myself ad even with restraints... **I fear,** that I may break someone. Break them the way we did during Teikō and I never want to see those empty, despairing eyes again. And I hate being alone. Tetsu... Tetsu was my partner on the court — **always**. We were never apart. For the first few practices with Tōō, I kept looking at the spots, where Tetsu always was on the court, from where his nifty, invisible passes came. I needed some time to realise, that Tetsu would never be beside me and that... was bothersome. Lonely. So I started skipping. Because if I wasn’t there, I didn’t have to face the fact, that Tetsu was in a different school, shadowing a weakling and I didn’t have to face the memories. The less I heard Wakamatsu whining about my attitude, the less likely I was to lose my head and crush someone during practice.” _

_“Restraints and restraints all the time.“ Satsuki murmured, “That’s what it’s about now and they can maybe... only let go when someone else stands on the other side. Because they are like Dai and Dai is like them.”_

_Aomine huffed. “I **know** they can keep up. They can even push me, either trough strategy or physically or both...“ he shrugged, “If one of them is on the other side, I know they’ll mark me because they want to let go as much, as I do. We can just ignore you all and play our best. That way, we can be ourselves, can enjoy the game. Even if you freeze up and just stare... that’s fine because if you’re not in the way, we can’t hurt you. And even if some of you say it’s inhuman the way we play...“ he shrugged, “well, maybe you’re not far from the truth.“ _

_“But even monsters have some morality...“ Satsuki added softly, “and for them, **us** — it means we cause the least possible damage to you and the opposing team. Teikō was all about winning, no matter the means — pure athletic skill, strategy, psychological warfare? That’s all fine with them. But after we got away, we swore never to do it again. So I always give imperfect data, incomplete analysis. Dai holds back and even if something would go very, very badly....“ _

_“If I let go just a bit more... we can still win, even if the other team has a trick up their sleeve.“ he said, “I trust her, her data are never wrong, but we’re always prepared for everything. She may give you half-assed info about our opponents, but she gives me a full report of everything the night before. I know what to expect, even if **you** don’t. Besides, with all Satsuki’s data... I may not be a strategist, the way Sei, Tetsu and Shin are. But if you spend enough time around strategists and observers like them, you pick up a trick or two.” _

_“Add your streetball tricks to the mix...“ Imayoshi spoke looking at him, “and even half-cooked strategy will take us to the win and I haven’t moved a finger.”_

_Aomine nodded. “Something like that. And the others can do this too. We all can. Seriously? If not for Tetsu’s “Phantom Sixth“ moniker... well, he’d be the best choice for Seirin as Captain. Not saying that Hyūga was it?... Not saying he’s bad... But with Tetsu, well, they’d catch up to us fast. And they may even give Rakuzan a run for their money because Shin and Tetsu are the likeliest to see through Seijūrō’s plans and even if Tetsu puts Seirin trough quarter of the Third String Teikō menu... goddamn efficient, trust me.”_

_“We can guess, thanks.“ Wakamatsu murmured._

_For a moment, there was silence and Tōō shared several looks._

_“I’m not saying all this is healthy and alright...“ their coach spoke up, “but if that makes things better, take it easy with the training. But please, do not be late from matches.”_

_Aomine frowned and a shiver ran down his spine. “Not going to happen.”_

_Tōō shared a few worried looks at that before Imayoshi spoke. “We’re **not** going to do anything... of Teikō’s sort to you, Aomine. But matches can be stressful for everyone and our Ace being late just adds to the stress. Consideration is not your strong point, but we know you **can** be thoughtful if you put your mind to it. We’re a team now and we’ll help you if you need it. In exchange, stress us **less** during tournaments and attend at least a few practices before important matches.” _

_Aomine took a breath and nodded. “I... I think I can do that.”_

_“And if that makes you feel better,“ their coach added, “Kuroko may visit a few times during workouts when no big tournaments are around. That way you can see him and play with him a little. We know his skills anyway, but it’s been made clear his Misdirection is not the only thing. Maybe we can even benefit from him being there. Or... you and Momoi-chan can visit Seirin if their coach agrees. If spending a bit more time with your... ex-teammates puts you at ease, that’s arrangeable, as long, as you’re willing to attend a few practices and your performance on the court does not suffer too much.“_

_Aomine snorted, a bitter grin pulling at his lips. “ **Hyakkusenhyakkushō,** remember, kantoku? We’re **still** the Kiseki no Sedai and I’d be damned before I let a backwater team beat Tōō. Losing against one of the other five present teams is... okay. My siblings know me—and Satsuki— as much as we know them, so we learned to outmanoeuvre each other and our games are more luck these days than anything. But that’s fine because it would still be a tough, **fair** game. But letting anyone else win? **Never.** ” _

_Aomine took a deep breath, as the words flashed into his mind. ~~Winning is everything.~~ No. He won’t annihilate anyone the way they’d done in Teikō... but he won’t let Tōō lose to weaklings, either. _

_The team shared looks. “It’s fine to lose sometimes, Aomine. We learn from our mistakes.“ the coach said, “What I meant, is that I don’t want you to neglect your training to a level, that damages your body. We can work out a training routine for you personally if that makes things easier, but I will still want to see you during the teamwork exercises. Is that fine?“_

_Aomine nodded, as he draped an arm around Satsuki. “I... yes. Thanks.“ he huffed, “If you really mean that... speak with Sei and Tetsu. They know me the best and they’re used to training others. Coupled with Tsuki’s data, that should be enough. They’d give you a sketch and then you can work from there, so that...“ he glanced at Tōō, “...the team can work around each other. Knowing each others’ limits might help, in the future.”_

_The man nodded and soft sounds of approval came from the other members, too._

_“And, if you have a problem,“ Susa gave them a sharp look, “ **any** problem... You come to **us** , brats. Both you. We’re not Teikō, you don’t have to deal with your things alone and... your previous team won’t be around 24/7, to help. Besides... they have their own messes too. Whatever we can help with, we will, but first, swallow your pride and your angst and come to us.” _

_The others nodded in agreement._

_Aomine bit the inside of his cheek for a moment, as Satsuki sobbed next to him. He cared for Tōō — even if they were troublesome and annoying most of the time, he cared for them. Being around them wasn’t like having his siblings around... but it was still... nice. And it seemed, Tōō cared more for them, than he had first assumed. (He would never admit that, but their care felt oddly nice.)_

_“Thank you sempai, we will.“ Satsuki said, looking at Susa with a small, watery smile._

_Imayoshi raised an eyebrow at him and Aomine glared —for a moment. And then he nodded. “Sure.”_

_The Captain smiled, pleased with their answer. “Good. But just to be safe, Aomine-kun... could you ask some of the Kiseki for a phone number? We help, where we can but we’re not naive either. There will surely be times when it would be easier, for them to deal with problems. Just for safety.“_

_Satsuki hummed. “I’ll speak to them... but they’ll surely agree. Ryō and Tetsu will be good contacts, I guess. They are the closest to us if something happens...”_

_Imayoshi shared a look with their coach and nodded. “Good.“ the man said._

_And then Imayoshi stood up, “How about we grab something to eat?“_

_The others nodded and jumped to their feet. Aomine grunted. “Forgot my wallet...”_

_“Your and Momoi-chan’s food is our treat.“ Susa said, sharing a look with Imayoshi, “Now come on, before we change our mind.”_

_Aomine shared a look with his sister and then stood up. Maybe having a team like Tōō, wasn’t too bad, after all. They weren’t overly clingy, which was just fine... but if... if they ever needed something, Tōō could be counted on, they knew that now. Tōō didn’t think them freaks and that was all, that mattered._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please leave comments and tell me what you think. Remember, comments make my world go round! :3


	4. ᴛʜᴇ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀᴍᴀᴛʜ ɪɪ — ᴋᴜʀᴏᴋᴏ

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There´s flashback in this chapter and like always, it´s marked by bigger space and italics.  
> Enjoy! :3

_**15th July, Sunday** _

It was over.

Knowing that they were free and safe... it was almost surreal. What did strike him, as surreal, was the knowledge, that he’d be going home — home with the only family he had left (or at least a few members, of the said family). The point was, that it was now _official_.

“Tetsu?“

Kuroko looked up at hearing his name and smiled a little, as he noticed his brother. “Dai. Where’s Nē-san?”

“She’s seeing off Ryō. His sisters finally made it here and Sei is with Atsu. They’d come to take him home as well. And now that Ryō’s about to be taken home, Kaijō took off as well.”

He hummed. “So only Seirin, Tōō and Rakuzan remain... shouldn’t they be leaving soon, though? Sei’s staying in Tokyo for now — they have a residence here as well,” he said. Their redhead brother had made it clear, that he won’t be going back to Kyoto just yet.

“Should be.“ Dai said, “But it seems Rakuzan are as reluctant to leave him, as our teams are. You... cleared it up with Seirin, right?“

Kuroko nodded. “Yes. We... we talked a bit this morning.”

Dai’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, just a little. “How did it go?“

_Kuroko sighed, as he finished packing and organising his papers, leaving his bag on the neatly made bed. Soon, they would leave and he’d be going home — home with Dai and Tsuki, to a family that loved him. That thought brought a faint smile to his lips, despite how rough this week and the one before it had been. They were free._

_“Kuroko?“_

_He turned at the call and found his sempai standing by the door, studying him with a soft expression — sadness, worry, sympathy but beneath that all, he saw the flash of protectiveness and an iron will to help him. Not out of pity, but out of compassion and companionship. That eased his nerves. This player... well, he deserved his moniker, Kuroko thought._

_He remembered, just faintly, that Teikō — they— had crushed Shōei. He no longer remembered the exact score, but that mattered little. Teikō’s strategy had always been the same and they had not been merciful to anyone. In Teikō... basketball was a “game“ of survival of the fittest and even if they pitied their opponents... even then, they crushed the other team, because it meant_ **_they_ ** _would be safe. He wondered what Kiyoshi thought of him — of the Kiseki as a whole, now._

_“Kiyoshi-sempai.“ he greeted with a tiny nod._

_“Do you have a moment?“ his brown eyes swept the room — half messy, half neat. Well, his space was neat. Kagami and Furihata were not so neat (okay, Kagami was much better, than Kuroko thought — but then again, Kuroko admitted, to at least himself, that he may have been stress cleaning his space, even if this was not his house), but as long as his space was manoeuvrable, it didn’t brother Kuroko._

_He stood up from the bed and nodded. “Hai.”_

_They walked side by side and Kiyoshi led him out of the building and behind it, by the line of trees, where Seirin had sat down. Their eyes were sad — guilty to be precise. Kagami just looked like he’d tear apart anyone if given the smallest of reasons. A rabid tiger... the look in his eyes, Kuroko noted, was very close to that of Dai. Speak about the two of them being alike._

_Kiyoshi-sempai sat next between the coach and Captain. Kuroko sat across from the team, knowing well, that he didn’t belong with them. He was one of them, a Seirin player... yet he wasn’t. He would always be a Kiseki first, even if the basketball circuit only recognised his five siblings, as prodigies. (Soon...soon he would be known and remembered, as a member of them too, even if he didn’t exactly desire that fame. Fame? Ridiculous. That moniker of theirs carried more_ **_fear and infamy_ ** _, than anything else...)_

_For a moment, there was silence, as his teammates glanced at each other and then Kagami cleared his throat and spoke up._

_“I think we all owe you an apology... but I owe you one the most, I think. We... we’re partners for months now and I hadn’t noticed when... I hadn’t noticed something wasn’t okay when I should have. I’m sorry, Kuroko. I... I shouldn’t have said, what I had. I was being a jerk when all you — and the other Miracles— were doing, was keeping us safe.”_

_“No one should have been so hasty to judge.“ Hyūga-sempai cut in, “Not you Kagami. Not us nor the other teams. We’re sorry, Kuroko.”_

_“But we’re here to help.“ Izuki spoke up, tone level but steely, “We’re a team now and if you need help, you can tell us. Or if you just need someone to talk to. Or if you just want a moment for yourself. I kinda get it now... why you’re so damn_ **_good_ ** _at hiding your emotions. They... if you showed you cared for each other, they turned it against you, hadn’t they?”_

_Kuroko swallowed hard at the reminder. “H-hai. So we learned to hide our emotions. Blankness, arrogance, flippancy...”_

_“We’re not like that.“ Aida spoke up softly, “We’re Seirin, Kuroko-kun and we take care of our own. You’re our teammate now. If you need help, you can tell us. Or... or if you just want to see one of the Kiseki... I’m sure if we notify the other schools on time, we can have practice matches more often. Perhaps, if it’s not tournament season, Kaijō and Tōō might even be a bit more lenient and we can gather non-officially. That way, you could play on the same side as Aomine or Kise, if that... if you’d like.”_

_Kuroko stiffened at that. “Bu-but the school...”_

_“She did just say a_ **_non-official_ ** _gathering.“ Kiyoshi pointed out, crossing his arms. “And from what I’ve heard, the other coaches are more open to these sort of things as well.“_

 _“We’re here to_ **_help_ ** _.“ Hyūga said, “But for that, you will have to let us. That means telling us things and not bolting everything up and hiding it with that damn efficient blankness of yours. You never skip practice, which is commendable... but in hindsight, you not skipping might be just as much a damaging side-effect as Aomine skipping all the time. If you don’t feel like being in practice... you can tell us. Tell us if you need space or if you’d skip, to meet up with one of them. Probably Kise, since he’s the closest and you’ll be living with Aomine, right?“_

_Kuroko sighed and nodded. “Hai. Tsu— Momoi’s aunt and uncle had adopted him, so they live together and now, with Teikō out of the way... they can adopt me too. So I’ll be moving in with them.”_

_Seirin sighed, obviously relieved. “Ah, that’s oddly relieving to hear, you won’t be alone.“ Izuki muttered. He shared a look with Hyūga and the Captain spoke again._

_“I’m no fan of our practices being interrupted... but if Momoi, Aomine or Kise are nearby—if any of the Miracles are nearby, for some reason,— they can drop by. We won’t kick them out. Just... make sure you guys are relatively quiet and we can go on with our practice, even if you sit out or decide to leave with them.”_

_Kuroko smiled, just a little. But it was a relived, honest and grateful smile. “Thank you, Captain.”_

_“Also...“ the Coach spoke up, “May... may I have a proper look at your data, Kuroko-kun? My Scan deceives me when it comes to you. If I know things better, than we can come up with a personalised training menu for you, that will help you develop properly.“_

_Kuroko hummed. “I’ll speak with Seijūrō and Satsuki. I’m sure they have our most recent data somewhere, which they surely wouldn’t mind lending you. And Sei can leave you with some tips... he helped me develop Misdirection, as a learned ability... because it is a learned thing, only the low-presence aspect is...“ he trailed off, but the team nodded anyway, understanding what he was trying to say, “So he has a few exercises for that, which I admit, may have slipped my mind, since we graduated Teikō. And... once the investigation is over, we will have access to our files. I will let you and Hyūga-sempai have a look, as it may help with our training too... but at the same time, I’d appreciate if the others would not know what’s in it.” he looked down. “I... It’s better if you know the least about all this and I... I care for you and I’d hate if you thought differently of me, for what’s in there...”_

_“We wouldn’t think differently of you.“ Izuki said and the others muttered in agreement. “You’re our teammate, no matter what. But at the same time, we’ll respect your wishes, so if you do show those files, then only coach and Hyūga will look at it.”_

_“And we won’t share anything, that’s in there.“ the Captain promised. “Also... correct me if I’m wrong, but I heard when those players turned up, that you were their Captain?“_

_Kuroko shrugged. “Teikō’s Club was enormous. Over a hundred members and we had two official teams, that played in Championships. The First String — and Sei led us and he was the Head of the Club, in a way. But there was a second-team as well, made up of “outstanding“ Second and Third String members and usually, the best strategist of the First String led that team. But Sei couldn’t be in two places at once. So they chose me — said best player’s student. In a way, Sei taught me the basics of the style I use and then it just turned more efficient, as they... probed at us. Plus, Sei taught me strategy too. He likes shōgi and chess. Shin and I played with him the most. The others can play too, Sei beat strategy into their head, but... they don’t have the patience for a game. Using a strategy on the court is different than sitting through an entire game of chess or shōgi.”_

_“I thought Midorima was the Vice-cap?“ asked Kagami._

_Kuroko hummed. “He was. But... as I said, our Club was big. They didn’t bother with the management part, save for securing our games. So all of it fell onto us. Sei and Shin tried doing it alone, but it wasn’t working, not even with Tsuki helping. And then, when I was appointed to lead the Second String, we had a bit more success in keeping everything orderly. Besides, as long as they kept me and Sei busy... we were less likely to... to_ **_hinder_ ** _their work.“_

_To injure or kill them, as they tried dragging someone away to be “treated“ was left unsaid. Yet, Kuroko knew that his team had replaced the word “hinder“ with exactly that unsaid sentence._

_For a long moment, there was silence and then Hyūga cleared his throat. “Well, if you’re indeed a strategist... and something tells me you’re not lying... we’d appreciate your input on our future game strategies. You and Izuki are the most observant, so if you spot something during a game, do speak up, Kuroko. You didn’t do so before... probably because you thought we’d ignore you, as a First Year, but no. We don’t ignore anyone on the team. If you have an idea or something, share with us and then we’ll discuss it, alright?“_

_“Besides,“ Kiyoshi added, “I’m sure you’ve got some neat strategies under your belt, being taught by Akashi. Kami know he’s good at what he does, frighteningly so. I can understand, why the other Generals just go along with his game plans.”_

_Kuroko hummed. “That’s Sei — nothing but the best.“ he said quietly, “But that... the best... meant safety and as the Captain, he thought all of that fell to him. But in fact... it fell to the six of us. We were the First String...”_

_“It doesn’t work that way.“ Aida cut in, tone soft yet steely at the same time and Kuroko looked up at her, “Not here. You’re safe with us and a valued member of the team. So whatever you need or if you want to say... do so. We’re here to help.”_

_“Arigato.“_

_“Now come here...“ Kiyoshi said, standing up and reaching out, “you’re one of us so don’t sit out there, like an outsider.”_

_And then, somehow, him being dragged closer to the team ended up as a big group hug, with some grouchiness and lot of laughter. It eased his mind. He still had his team, his friends — and they didn’t think any less of him, than before._

Kuroko gave him a look and then shook his head. “They’re a good batch. And... they said they’d help and between Hyūga and coach? I think I could even skip an official match and they’d have it covered if it helped me somehow.”

Dai snorted. “You missing an official match? Sooner would the Emperor apologise...“

Kuroko hummed at that. “You _know_ what they meant.”

Dai nodded. “Sure, sure. Tōō... they’re not that bad either. They... uh, even Imayoshi and Wakamatsu. I think I don’t mind being there all that much. I miss you, but they’re dependable, even if they’re not all that loud and clingy, as Seirin.”

Kuroko smiled and slowly stood up, to walk over. “That’s a relief to hear.“

“And they said you can come over, as long as it’s not during tournament season, so we can play together... sometimes.“

Kuroko smiled and gave his brother a brief hug. “Coach and Hyūga-sempai had said the same. That as long as we don’t turn the gym upside down, you can all visit.”

Dai grinned a little and then they walked outside, just in time to see Atsu and Ryō bid them farewell, as they left, accompanied by their siblings. Kuroko waved at them and mouthed “write later“ and they all took off.

“Shouldn’t you be leaving as well?“

They turned to see Tōō’s coach eyeing them with a raised eyebrow. “They should be here soon.“ Kuroko reassured him.

“I take... you three would be going home together, then?“

“Yea.“ Dai muttered, “Sei pulled a few strings and now since Teikō’s influence had been made clear... they allowed Tsuki’s aunt to sign Tetsu’s adoption papers. So he’s coming with us.”

Harasawa-san nodded. “Good. Reminds me... maybe it would be better if we had contact which we could use...“

“Tsuki already has everyone's.“ Kuroko said quietly, “She’d already given it to Imayoshi-san if I’m not mistaken and I’ve given my own to my Captain. All of them had been exchanged, just in case.“

The man nodded, satisfied. “That’s a relief to hear... but if you need something, you can call us, you know that right?“ here, he looked at Tsuki and Dai, but Kuroko noted, that his eyes slid over to him as well as if he were a student of Tōō.

“We appreciate that, kantoku.“ Dai said, “But, for now, everything’s in place. Sei, Tsuki and Tetsu can be frighteningly efficient, if they want to be. But we’ll keep the offer in mind.”

Harasawa-san sighed, looking at them forlornly. “As impressive your efficiency and responsible thinking is, a part of me wishes you didn’t need it.”

“Wishful thinking will not change the past.“ Kuroko said, “All we can do is stick together and go forward. Try living our lives the best we can, because if we stop to cry... then we admit... we’re not cracked, but broken. All this time, Teikō wanted to break us and we resisted. I’d be damned if they broke us _now_.”

“Well said, Tetsu.“ Dai muttered and then looked at his coach, “We care for each other too much and we love basketball too much. We’d be damned sooner than give it —or our bonds up, just because someone said so. Just because we attend different schools or have a few hours of train between us.“

The man sighed again. “I can see that, Aomine. And that’s impressive... Impressive that even after all that happened, you can even think about holding a ball and thinking of scores and official matches. But perhaps, as you said, you love the sport too much. It’s... a sort of thing I’ve never seen in anyone before. It’s not your talent, that’s so miraculous about you six... but your passion. Your passion and your iron will. If only half the people, who play — or are otherwise involved in a sport, had as much spirit as the seven of you...”

“Iron will? Interesting you say it like that...“ Dai huffed.

“You cling to something.“ the man said, “To each other, to your families, to the sport. It doesn’t matter, because something keeps you here. It keeps you here and you go on with your lives, even if you struggle. Others may have... chosen a different path.”

“Suicide, you mean?“ Tsuki muttered, “There were a few. Some even right... right where we’ve seen it.“

Disbelief and horror flashed trough the man’s grey eyes before sad resignation took its place. “Somehow... somehow it’s not as surprising, as it should be. I’m glad you chose to go on.”

Dai’s lips pulled into a bitter grin. “Ah, somehow that’s hard to believe, with all the trouble I’ve given you.”

“I’m not judging you, Aomine.“ the man said, tone hard, yet still gentle in a way, “I admit, you made my work harder... but now it all makes sense. And as long as we both keep our agreement, I believe we can all work together, while you attend Tōō.”

Dai and Tsuki shared a look and then he nodded. “Fair, kantoku. Thank you... I guess.”

For a moment, they held eye contact and then, to Kuroko’s shock, the man turned to him. “I’ve been told, you handled training while you were a team?“

Kuroko hummed and nudged his brother to let him go. “Sei and I did, yes. Well... within certain... boundaries.“

“Well, I did say I would handle Aomine’s training differently and that means I’m keeping my end of the deal. And they said you have... notes on the routines?“

Kuroko nodded, throwing a look at his siblings. “Dai... can I...?“

“Yea, sure, Tetsu. You know I trust you. Do what you need to.”

Kuroko smiled and then looked at the man. “Come with me, please. We still have some time before we can go home and that should be more, than enough.“

The man nodded and gestured for him to go ahead. Kuroko hurried inside, the coach right on his heels. He stopped before the small table, where Sei was still seated, with Yōsen’s couch across from him and by the looks of it, he was handing her Atsu’s files. Ah, so everyone was doing the same — letting at least the coaches and Captains in on the file contents, for future reference. For safety.

“Seijūrō... where are Dai’s files?“ he called, as his eyes scanned the three neat stacks of papers.

The redhead paused for a second. “I believe in the middle stack, along with your own. Do give that to your coach, Tetsuya.“

Kuroko hummed, starting to leaf through the folders. “I already took mine and yes, I’ll discuss them later with coach and Hyūga-sempa— ah, found it. Thanks.” he took both Dai and Tsuki’s folders and waved to Harasawa.

The man directed him towards the hotel room, where he’d been staying and as they sat on the bed, Kuroko opened the files, handing them over. “Just have a look. So you’ll have at least a clue, what you’re dealing with when it comes to Daiki. Most you can see when he’s on the court, but he holds back a lot and since he skips so many practices, I doubt you’d seen everything...“

Harasawa sighed and took the file, reading through it carefully. “I take the crossed-out ones are your work?“

Kuroko snorted softly. “Most of that thing is based on what they wanted to see, what they didn’t see and how they inferred what they’d seen. Dai is by no means dangerous. Protective, yes. Prone to get irritated, yes. Animalistic, no. But yes, he does have a sort of pack mentality... but in a way, we all do. Codependency, pack mentality or call it whatever you want. But it had helped us survive.”

“What do they mean by 015?“

Kuroko’s eyes flashed bitterly. “I’m sure you read the top. They didn’t consider us people. The jersey number became our identification number. Or the codename they’d given us. _Panther_ or _006_ in Daiki’s case.”

The man’s breath hitched. “Gods be good.”

“Subject 0 translates to Satsuki. And 015 is me. My jersey number had been 15, after I was considered good enough, to become First String.”

Harasawa nodded and read further. “W— So many drugs... what are those?“

Kuroko shrugged. “We never really figured out. Sharpened our senses of sight, hearing and smell. Our general awareness of everything around us, especially if we focus on something. Mostly during a game. Increased their physical abilities. Speed and agility for Dai, mostly. And whatever those were, they somehow changed us... mentally too. Misdirection needs a lot of focus. And the Zone... it’s not just an imaginary threshold they can get past. It’s something... something that is inside every player, in a way. But normally very hard to access. The drugs they gave them, made it possible for Dai and Sei to access Zone, even now with their bodies still not completely developed as...“

“Zone should not be accessible until someone reaches their peak in both skill and physical condition. And even if that happens, there is no guarantee, they can open the Gate.“ Harasawa said, looking at him, “I know. I’ve heard about it. I had never been considered good enough to reach it. Shirogane was, he says he’d seen the Gate but hadn’t gotten past it.”

“Daiki and Seijūrō can, even now.“ Kuroko said softly, “If poked enough, so can Ryōta and Atsushi, but Atsu’s lazy... and Ryō knows he’s got the second-lowest stamina, after me. Zone drains stamina faster, so he tries to do his best without entering. Dai and Sei can enter and stay in. Even continue to play, once forced out... but it’s draining and if they play once forced out, they’d be risking injury.“

“I see. How do...“

“They had Sei go through it during the week. I’ve seen it because I was there. They wanted to see what’s my _compatibility percentage_ with him after we were split up.“ Kuroko muttered, “He was injured when we beat Rauzan. Still is, but he’s good at hiding it.“

Hirasawa's eyes went wide. “Holy kami... Shirogane...“

Kuroko chuckled. “Sei won’t tell him, but I’ll seek him out and tell him. Gods know Sei won’t sit out a game, useless forced.“

Harasawa sighed. “Good. But you should take your advice and sit out a few training sessions and games. Aomine’s going to do just that...“

Kuroko nodded. “I know. All my team’s seen the side effect of the drugs, so I’m sure coach’s not going to let me onto the court, useless a doctor gives me the green light and knowing her, she or the Captain would come with me into the hospital, just to hear the verdict themselves, before even starting to think about fitting my training routine with the new information they have — or will soon have.”

The man sighed again and looked back at the files. “It’s informative and good to know these things... but what about his training?“

“Below the Teikō papers, you’ll find my notes. Of course, those were done by me and Sei, to fit Teikō’s standards.”

The man took out the papers he’d mentioned and Kuroko wasn’t surprised when his eyes went wide due to the numbers and the time limits on it. “This is _inhuman_.“

“It is.“ Kuroko whispered, “But it was better when _we_ did it... if we allowed them to do it, this would be doubled. So... the time limit is just fine if you want to keep his style as it is and speed and agility fit him well. Cut the exercise numbers in half. That will be tougher training, than what Tōō has, but not too bad. He’ll grumble about it for five minutes, but by the time he’s done, he’ll be tired in a way, that he’d still be up for a game. So it will help him stay in shape and maybe develop his skills, too, but it won’t ruin his body.”

The man sighed. “Well, it makes sense, I suppose. I’ve seen Momoi-chan’s last notes on him and they were so high, that I didn’t want to believe it. Now it all makes sense and considering her notes, this halved routine you mentioned seems to fit. Hm, but I’ll have to be extra careful with his joints... well, that can be changed a little. We don’t want him injured and seeing how he skipped so many sessions, the best will be to get to this halved number in steps.“

Kuroko hummed. “That would work. Satsuki has a sharp eye, so she’ll notice if he tries to play down something. You can trust her judgement about that.“

Harasawa looked at him, a half-serious, half-joking expression flashing through his features. “Or trust _you_. You’re good at this for someone so young. You’d be a wonderful coach, if... one day, you stop playing, but still consider staying in the sport.“

Kuroko smiled. “I think, I’d like to be a coach. It would let me stay close to basketball. Playing professionally is unlikely, useless I land on the same professional team as Daiki or Seijūrō. But Dai’s only ever mentioned of wanting to be professional, even after all... this. Without him? Unlikely, as my playstyle is special. So coaching is fine.”

“Well, you’d be good at it. Seek out Kagetora, if you need tips on that or I can give you some if you like.“

Kuroko blinked at the name. “Who?“

“Aida Kagetora. My ex-teammate and your coach’s father. He’s a professional sports trainer and has his gym. Seek him out for tips on both training and game strategy. With how observant you are... you’d be a wonderful playmaker. A lot like Akashi if what I heard from your coach and Shirogane both, is any clue.”

Kuroko nodded. “Well, thank you for the tip. I’ll be sure to ask the coach to introduce me. As for strategies...“ he hummed, “Sei taught me to play the way I do and he mentored me all trough our days in Teikō. The way I taught and mentored Ryōta when he joined. So yes, I suppose you could say we think alike.”

Harasawa looked down at the files and the notes and sighed. “Was... was Momoi drugged too?“

Kuroko sighed. “Sadly, yes. Occular and memory enhancements, that she benefits from, as a manager and analyst.”

The man groaned softly. “Kami be merciful.“

Kuroko snorted. “They weren’t. Not with us, so I am not even sure I believe in them anymore...” he murmured, but he knew the man had heard him anyway.

Harasawa rearranged the papers, stealing one last glance and them and then he closed the folder. “Well, thank you for the information. This... makes everything easier to grasp about Aomine’s capabilities and limits. Or rather... the limits he _doesn’t_ have.”

Kuroko hummed, as he took the folder back. “We all have our limits. It’s just that... my siblings’ physical limits are at a higher level than say... Imayoshi-san’s, despite the age difference.”

“Yes, I can see that.“ the man stood up, “You know... you may visit from time to time if you wish. May even stand-in for a game, if that helps you and Aomine deal with this. Just... please notify me beforehand either trough Aomine or Momoi.”

Kuroko stood up and gave the man a grateful look, bowing. “Thank you. That’s a relief to hear. Now that we’ll be living together, I’d see them every day, but playing one-on-one isn’t like playing with a team.”

“I know that. But to be honest, it’s hard to imagine you going against Aomine on a one-on-one.“

Kuroko didn’t take offence. “My stamina may not be as good, as his. But I have the same speed, thank you. I did have to keep up with him. Plus, I know his every move, like he knows mine. We were partners for three years on the court and that leaves a mark.”

“Oh, I’m sure of that. Actually, out of curiosity... I’d like to see you two play again, together. Maybe you standing in for Tōō during a practice against our Second String? No recording or anything, I just want to see closer, how you work. It’s... kind of interesting to think that Aomine would willingly work with someone on the court, when all this time, he’d strike me as a solo player.”

Kuroko nodded. “Well, I don’t think he’ll say _no_ to a chance. Just speak with either your Power Guard or your Small Forward. Those are the positions I usually played or play in and... I don’t want Tōō to feel like I’m an intruder when I attend Seirin.”

Harasawa nodded, as they stepped out of the room. “I’m sure they’ll understand. Besides, you did say you wish to transfer...“

Kuroko hummed. “Maybe. But for now... the reveal of Teikō’s nature will be loud and damaging enough. A place like Teikō wasn’t held together by three big names, like Akashi, Midorima and Kuroko. More people are in on it and we don’t want even more attention on us and on the people we care about. Keeping a low profile comes for all of us first. For the safety of our families.“

“Of course, of course. That’s understandable...“

“Tetsu!”

Both of them turned towards the call, to see Aomine jogging towards them. “Yes, Dai?“

“Tetsu—“ he huffed and winced, “Ah, they’re here. We can go.”

Kuroko smiled. “Good. No jogging, Dai. Careful till your back heals properly, okay?“

Dai rolled his eyes. “Yea, whatever.“ his eyes slipped onto the couch, “Ah, kantoku—”

The man nodded. “We’re done, Aomine. You can leave. Do take care of each other. And don’t even think about turning up in the gym, until your wounds are healed.“

“Ah, we’ll have a break. It’ll be gone by the time the next semester starts...“

“Let a professional be the judge of that. I told you, I don’t want you harming yourself by carelessly not training _or_ by straining yourself.”

Dai nodded. “Alright. Ready, Tetsu?“

Kuroko smiled. “Yes, just let me get my bag...”

“It’s already in the car.“ Dai said, “I figured, kantoku needed you, so I took it with mine. Come on.”

Kuroko hummed gave one last nod to Tōō’s coach and matched his brother step for step, as they strode out. Soon, they’d be home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit clumsy, sorry... 😅  
> As always, please tell me what you think.


End file.
